THE New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has signed an agreement with the Solomon Islands Government to support the National Sports Council (NSC) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, to deliver enhanced physical education training for teachers across five provinces of the Solomon Islands: Temotu, Choiseul, Renbel, Makira, and Isabel.
The pilot program, to be delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD), will provide specialised training in physical education for primary and secondary school teachers. The training will focus on creating fun and inclusive physical education activities, with a particular emphasis on increasing participation from girls and students with disabilities.
The program will train five provincial officers and 10 teachers, enabling them to plan, execute, and assess physical education activities within their schools and communities. Upon completion, those trained will take on the role of training other teachers in a hub-and-spoke model, ensuring that at least one teacher per school is equipped to lead physical education activities across all five provinces within the next 12 months.
“I am delighted to be here to witness the signing of this important agreement as PE, sport and physical activity are foundations for our communities. We all learn so much from this to prepare us for later life. I would like to thank our colleagues in New Zealand for this initiative” said Hon Minister Isikeli Vave, Minister of Home Affairs.
“We are committed to creating inclusive and sustainable opportunities for physical activity across the Solomon Islands, and this program will help achieve that by providing teachers with the necessary skills and resources to make physical education accessible to all students,” said Mr Joe Sika, Chair of the NSC Board.
In addition to the two-week intensive training, participating teachers and officers will receive essential sports equipment, enabling them to implement their learnings and create inclusive physical education programs in their schools.
The program will help strengthen community involvement, improve youth leadership, and promote the long-term health and well-being of students across the Solomon Islands.
New Zealand is a long-term supporter of the education sector in Solomon Islands and proud to be supporting this initiative. This partnership represents an important step forward in improving the delivery and inclusivity of physical education nationwide.
